Arrowing west from Omaha City in Nebraska
Territory, the Union Pacific Railroad was a full year ahead of its construction
schedule. Planning to have 247 miles of track in place by the end of 1867,
they had reached that point by October 1866.

To advertise this incredible progress to their shareholders as well
as Eastern bankers and members of Congress, the Directors of the company
planned an elaborate and costly celebration to take place in the middle
of the wilderness.

COVER: John Carbutt, at right, dining al fresco on
the plains. The dark tent, on the left, was constructed by Carbutt in the
early 1860's and used to process all his wet plates
while working in the field. This rare stereoview, probably taken by Carbutt's
assistant T. J.
Hines, is reproduced here for the first time through the courtesy of Mr.
Ed Burchard. Turn the page for William Brey's article.

"Group of Pawnee Warriors and Palace Cars of U.P.R.R.",
No. 204 from the series "Union Pacific Rail Road, Excursion to the 100th
Meridian, October 1866", by John Carbutt. Hired by Durant to provide thrills
and chills for the Easterners from the big city, once proud Pawnee Warriors,
who were subdued by the Army in 1859, pose here for Carbutt's camera. Among
the Excursionists looking on is 44 year old Rutherford Birchard Hayes,
recently re-elected member of the House of Representatives from Ohio. Ten
years later he became the 19th President of the United States in the most
disputed Presidential election in U.S. History. (Gordon D. Hoffman Collection)

"The Directors of the U.P.R.R. at the 100th Meridian",
No. 219 from the series "Union Pacific Rail Road, Excursion to the 100th
Meridian, October 1866," by John Carbutt. This signpost was erected by
Durant to mark the end of track at the 100th Meridian. By the time the
party reached it, the tracks had been laid another 40 miles beyond. This
view shows the train coming back from
the West. (Gordon D. Hoffman Collection).

Under the direction of Thomas C. Durant, the newly-elected President
of the Railroad, over 200 influential guests with their wives and daughters
were invited to take part in a Grand Excursion to a point halfway between
Chicago and the Rocky Mountains, smack on top of the Hundredth Meridian
of Longitude. To be sure the world heard about the event, reporters from
the major newspapers were also invited.

Foreign dignitaries, including a Scottish Earl, a Spanish Grandee and
a French Marquis, as well as one hundred of the Eastern elite, began their
journey west by train from New York City on October 15, 1866. Traveling
over the tracks of three different railroads, they arrived in Chicago two
days later where they were joined by many of the remaining guests from
other parts of the Country.

John Carbutt, the noted Chicago photographer and stereoview publisher
had been hired by the Union Pacific to document the entire affair, so it
was here that he and his assistant, Mr. Hines, loaded their cumbersome
photographic supplies onto the train.

Accompanied by the Great Western Light Guard Band the train proceeded
to St. Joseph, Missouri, for the second stage of the journey—two hundred
and fifty miles by riverboat to Omaha. Boarding the "Denver" and the "Colorado",
two of the largest class

Missouri River packets, the excursionists, with bands playing and colors
flying, steamed up the winding Missouri River, which for many hundreds
of miles formed the Western boundary of the Atlantic portion of the United
States.

Some idea of the manner in which this whole affair was being conducted
can be deduced from the menu listing over 50 main courses and as many different
desserts. (See illustration.) Forty-eight hours later the over-stuffed
travelers finally reached Omaha and the Eastern terminus of the Union Pacific
Railroad.

With the keys to the City firmly in hand, the excursionists, in their
insignias of ribbons and rosettes, were soon to be seen in all parts of
the town "evidently delighted and somewhat astonished to find themselves
after a week's journeying westward from New York, still among people of
wealth, refinement and enterprise". Where were the blood-thirsty savages
they had half hoped to glimpse from afar?

Since this was just about Omaha's biggest event since President Lincoln
signed the Homestead Act in 1862, a reception ball had been planned at
the four-story Hernden House, the town's finest hotel. With all of Nebraska
Territory's politicians in attendance, along with local authorities and
wealthy business and professional men and their wives, the dance and promenade
occupied the time most pleasantly until the small morning hours.

Despite the elegant entertainment, the excursionists were astir at an
early hour the next morning to visit the extensive depots and machine shops
of the Union Pacific and to check out the arrangements for the final leg
of the journey.

The menu for the excursionists on board the Missouri
River packet "Colorado", October 20, 1866.

The special train assembled for the trip to end-of-track was made up
of two locomotives and nine cars, the most elaborate having been designed
for the late President Lincoln who had used it only once for a journey
from West Point to Washington. Purchased from the Government by Mr. Durant,
it now served as his personal car for the use of he and his friends. The
magnificent Director's car, at the rear of the train, just behind Durant's,
was devoted to members of Congress and other distinguished guests, including
the late President's son Robert Todd Lincoln and George
Pullman, Patentee
of the Palace Sleeping Car. Later in life, modest, retiring Robert Lincoln
was to become the special counsel for the vast interest of this same George
Pullman, eventually becoming President of the Pullman Company after Pullman's
death. Just forward of Durant's car were four Pullman cars for use of the
remaining guests. Next came the mess car, then a mail car fitted up as
a refreshment saloon and finally the baggage-supply car just behind the
engines.

By now all were ready so, amid hissing steam and groaning wheels, the
magnificent entourage finally set out for the final destination. Proceeding
at a slow rate of speed, the better to enjoy the sights of the Great Platte
Valley, the train stopped now and again so the guests could examine the
road and fine bridge structures that had not existed just a few short months
ago.

The first nights encampment on the prairie, just beyond the town of
Columbus, was a monument to the planning that had preceded their arrival.
Welcomed by booming cannon and a lively band, the excursionists discovered
a city of tents—over 70 of them, set up on three sides of a square, brilliantly
lit by calcium lights. After still another magnificent feast in the largest
tent (60 feet long, 30 feet wide and 14 feet high), the group was moved
by train a mile further on to the Indian camps where over a hundred painted
Pawnee braves had been hired to put on a war dance for the evening's entertainment.
Dressed in a variety of feathers and beads, some wore "ventillated pantaloons,
much open, except at the loins".

Durant's publicity barrage, documented with Carbutt's
stereoviews, generated world-wide interest in the Union Pacific, evidenced
here by a wood-cut used to illustrate the story in German newspapers. (Courtesy
Nebraska State Historical Society)

Returning to Camp the party found tents assigned to each individual
family, comfortably furnished with hay mattresses, buffalo robes and blankets.
Only the howling of a distant wolf could be heard as the camp settled down
for the night.

Another sumptuous breakfast signaled the start of another day before
the train continued its westward journey. The train was stopped on a high
embankment overlooking the Pawnee camp for the mornings entertainment—this
time a sham battle. Thirty Pawnee braves, disguised as Sioux warriors,
attempted to creep up on the camp but were discovered. Amidst shrieks and
cries of vengeance, the Pawnees went out to the attack. "The shock of meeting
was grand and terrific. Horses reared and plunged against each other. Indian
grappled Indian and both fell to the ground in deadly embrace. Rifles,
revolvers and arrows were discharged apparently with deadly effect. Riderless
horses, and horseless riders were to be seen roaming wildly over the plain.
And all was confusion and intense excitement, until at length the victorious
Pawnees brought their vanquished enemies into camp, amid the most tempestuous
shouts of triumph and exultation. "

After the dust and excitement had died down, Mr. Durant distributed
several hundred dollars worth of presents among the Indians and their squaws.
(Some of the squaws seemed more fascinated with the ladies hooped skirts
than with the bangles and beads.)

Proceeding westward again at speeds sometimes approaching .45 miles
per hour the extra locomotive, out ahead of the train, ran down and demolished
a hand car with four men, killing two. A sympathetic tear was shed over
this news before the party resumed their festivities amid oceans of champagne
and clouds of cigar smoke. The train finally reached a point 30 miles beyond
the
hundredth meridian at 8:00 P.M. where, as on the previous evening, a large
and brilliantly illuminated encampment awaited them. End-of-track was still
nowhere in sight as rails were then being laid at a rate of nearly two
miles a day.

Visitors from the nearest town and the ranches all around were in camp
as rockets and roman candles lit up the sky to celebrate the arrival of
the train. A battalion of cavalry was camped close by to provide protection
against roaming bands of hostile Indians said to infest this portion of
the country.

A Photograph Gallery and a first class barbershop were set up and after
the establishment of a telegraph and printing office (to produce the daily
newspaper -"Railway Pioneer", as well as menus and announcements), the
camp grew quiet as all rested up for the final journey.

By mid-morning the following day, the train had continued ten miles
farther west where it finally caught up to the construction crews. (Near
the present day freight station of Gannett, on the Union Pacific, 40 miles
west of the 100th Meridian.) Some hours were spent by the party observing
the laying of track, the distribution of material and the general construction
process as the tracks grew ever closer to their eventual hook-up with the
Western Pacific Railroad. Meanwhile the band played the "Star Spangled
Banner", "The Wearing of the Green", "Yankee Doodle", "Rory O'Moore", the
"Sprig of Shillalah", etc. "Photographic pictures were also taken by the
celebrated Viewist, Professor Carbutt of Chicago, of the construction train;
and also various groupings of the officers of the road and excursionists.
"

A buffalo hunt had been arranged for the more sporting members of the
group and had been quite successful, but on their way back to camp they
encountered a strong party of outraged Indians who took from them the buffalos
they had killed. Further loss was averted as the Indians magnanimously
spared the hunters lives on the condition that they should never be found
again on Indian hunting grounds. The hunting party readily agreed to this
condition.

Returning to camp the hungry excursionists were given another sumptuous
dinner, with printed menus beside each plate. The final evening's entertainment
was a magnificent hour long fireworks display that amazed the distant savages
who also witnessed it.

The final morning "Professor Carbutt was in great demand. Everybody
wanted to be taken just as they appeared at the breaking up of the camp.
The Professor finally succeeded in obtaining some excellent groupings,
as well as camp and landscape views before the train started eastward."
At a point directly on the Hundredth Meridian the train was halted for
nearly an hour "enabling Professor Carbutt to Photograph some views representing
the excursion train, with groupings of Government Officers, members of
Congress, Directors of the road and excursionists coming to this point
from the West."

Heading East once again the speeding train overtook another hand car,
demolishing it and a man named Flannery, whose three companions just managed
to leap to safety.

One last surprise entertainment had been arranged by Durant to enliven
the trip back to Omaha—a Prairie Fire! The flames extended in an unbroken
line for 15 to 20 miles and one end of this holocaust was so near the party
could feel the heat as the flames roared over the plains.

So as the sun set slowly in the West our stalwart group of well-fed
adventurers were borne back over the prairie from whence they came—leaving
behind three dead, the scorched earth, and the remains of a thousand dinners.
A fitting end to a visit to the wild west—in a most civilized manner.

#224?"Doctor" Thomas Clark Durant, skillful and unscrupulous
promoter of railroad stock and bonds, poses on the tracks with
the heads
of the various departments of the UPRR. (Ed Burchard Collection)

SOURCES:

"Incidents of a Trip Through the Great Platte Valley to the Rocky Mountains
in the Fall of 1866", Col. Silas Seymour. 1867 P 54 to 109

"Hear That Lonesome Whistle Blow", Dee Brown, 1977

Omaha Weekly Republican, Oct. 27, 1866, P 2

Omaha Weekly Herald, Nov. 2, 1866, P 1

"View of Omaha, Nebraska Territory from Capitol Hill
(2)", No. 231 by John Carbutt. Included in Carbutt's series are two birdseye
views of Omaha City, the Territorial Capitol of Nebraska Territory, part
of the Louisiana Purchase, was explored by Lewis
and Clark in 1804. Less
than a year after these views were taken, Nebraska became a State. (John
Waldsmith Collection)

The most extensive collections of Carbutt's Excursion views are those
of the Union
Pacific Archives in Omaha and the President Hayes Library in Fremont,
Ohio. It is believed that this listing
of views from their collections, compiled with the help of Tom Waldsmith,
is complete. If so, Robert Taft was in error when he stated that Carbutt
published over 300 views in this series.